


Poor Wayfaring Stranger

by MaraMcGregor



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, But not exactly drunk, Drunk Sex, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Vampire Hunter Jack, Vampire Sex, vampire bitty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 08:50:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16092200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaraMcGregor/pseuds/MaraMcGregor
Summary: Bitty's been a vampire for 7 years. He is finally living (sort of) a stable life well away from his vampire hunting family. One night, a handsome stranger comes into his bakery in the middle of the night. He knows exactly who it is. Jack Zimmermann, of the notorious Zimmermann hunting family. And everything had been going so well.





	Poor Wayfaring Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters. They are the property of Ngozi Ukazu.

Jack was exhausted. It had been a long and fruitless night. He had been sent to Little Compton to investigate the recent rash of unexplained deaths. From everything he could tell, it was a classic sign of a nest moving in. They were claiming the territory by dropping dead bodies in visible spots. Typically, vampires would only be so obvious about their intentions if the area was already inhabited by another nest. But, all of the research showed that Little Compton had been quiet for going on five years. Not a single unusual death had been reported in that stretch, and nothing that even remotely would be considered vampire related. Before that, there _had_ been a couple of odd deaths that were always just on the side of not warranting an investigation.

He was done for the night. Another dead body drained of blood, this one was dangling in a tree in the park. It was 2am and everything was closed. The small shops were dark as he walked back to his hotel. As he crossed the intersection, he noticed one shop still open. Curious, he peeked in the front window. It was well lit and the sign said it was “Bitty’s Bites”. The script was round and just as vibrant as the interior decor. Trying his luck, Jack pushed the door open and a small bell jingled above his head.

A small, blonde man came out from the back. “Good evening! Or, I guess it’s technically, good morning. Can I help you?”

Jack was stunned for a moment by the cheeriness of the shop worker. “I was wondering, do you have any food? I know it’s late -”

“Oh, honey. Do I have food? Of course, I do. Now, what would you like? I have several items that are fresh from the oven, and if you would like to wait, there are a couple of batches of blueberry muffins that are just about to come out. Did you want any coffee? Or maybe tea? Something to get to sleep?”

“Tea would be great.”

“You just take a seat, then. Do you prefer chamomile or something else? Nothing with caffeine at this late hour, I’m sure.”

“Do you have peppermint?”

The blonde came bustling over with a cup of hot water and several bags of peppermint tea. He winked at Jack, “Why, I just might.” He slid a single-paged menu on the table and wandered back to what Jack assumed was the kitchen. “You just holler if you decide on anything. I’m the only one that works this shift and there’s food to be made for my early birds.”

Jack flipped the menu back and forth a couple of times and realized that there was nothing of true nutritional value on it. It was filled with nothing but pastries, pie, and several options for overly sweet coffee. It felt rude to just yell towards the back of the restaurant, so Jack made his way to the counter. “Excuse me?”

He wasn’t sure if he had been loud enough, but the blonde popped out with a smile on his face.

“Did you decide on something?”

“Euh, do you have anything with protein? Maybe some eggs?”

“How’d you like them?”

“Sunny-side up.”

“You got it, sugar.”

Jack wandered back to the small table and sipped on his tea. There was something about the baker that set his teeth on edge, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. Maybe it was just the Southern accent in the middle of small town Rhode Island. Jack shook it off and smiled when his eggs came out with a generous side of bacon.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“This is great. Thanks.” Jack paused for a moment before asking, “You wouldn’t happen to have seen any new people in town, lately, have you?”

“Besides yourself?” Bitty gave him a cheeky grin. “Nope. I’ve been here for five years. I’d like to think that I’ve gotten to know this town pretty well. I haven’t seen anyone out of place.”

Jack hummed to himself and started on his midnight snack. He kept his guard up. With vampires, anything was possible. And, he wasn’t exactly happy to see that the open sign on the front door of the cafe stated in curvy lettering, “All Are Welcome!”. As a business, technically it might not count for needing an invitation. But, if there was some sort of private residence as part of the building, it was completely open and fair game due to the signage.

There were several thumps from the back and the distinct sound of a refrigerator opening and closing. Bitty was back and setting two trays on the counter.

“Don’t mind me! Just getting the morning display ready.”

“You said you moved in five years ago?”

“Yessir, I did.”

The gears in Jack’s mind started turning. “What’s your last name?”

Bitty straightened up and if Jack hadn’t been paying close attention, he would have missed the almost imperceptible tightening of his shoulders. “Bittleman. It’s where I got my nickname and the name for my store.”

“Are you sure it’s not because you’re so short?” Jack deliberately let the name slide and gave Bitty a smirk.

“Hush you! I am 5’ 6.5”. That’s not short. In fact, it’s right on average for the American male. Just because you are some sort of giant -”

Jack laughed. “I am not a giant. You should see some of my dad’s friends. They make me look positively tiny.”

“Then I’ll make sure to stay well out of their way if they ever show up in Little Compton. And I’ll make sure to have plenty of food ready to fill them right on up.”

Jack smiled. “Well, I hope to get my work done before calling them to come down.”

“What is it that you do?”

“Euh, oh. I’m investigating the recent murders for the Providence branch of the FBI.”

Bitty turned away from him and fiddled with something on the counter behind him. “You think you can catch whoever is doing it?”

“I haven’t missed a target, yet.”

Bitty spun around with a tag and placed it on one of the trays. With an overly bright smile he said, “Well, that’ll have me sleeping sounder in my bed.”

* * *

Bitty sighed. Jack was exactly the type of trouble he needed to avoid if he wanted to continue living. But, he was so sweet. And he was all alone hunting a particularly obnoxious nest of vampires. Not for the first time, he cursed the assholes trying to move into Little Compton. They were everything that hunters thought of when the thought of vampires: greedy, destructive, no self-control, and willing slaves to their thirst. It disgusted him to his very core. There was no need for any of it. And it did nothing but bring exactly the wrong kind of attention.

Usually, he would drop by the local pick up spot on his way into work. A quick snack from the femoral vein, a swipe of his tongue to heal it, memory wipe, and done. Nice, neat, and efficient. Consent gained all the way around, even if the guy didn’t remember shit in the end. It was safer for everyone that way.

Now, he had to be even more discreet. He had a deal with the local butcher, not that he knew, of course. Pig’s blood would only go so far. Vampires needed human blood. But, in an emergency, they could make do with animal blood. It did put this whole mess on a deadline, though. He had about a week until he would need to feed off of a human, preferably several. So, if the hunter wasn’t satisfied that the town was vampire-free by then, he’d have to get a little more creative in his dining options.

“Bitty!”

Speak of the devil. “Hey, Jack!” Bitty waved at the man as he come down the street.

“You really shouldn’t be walking around alone at night. It’s not safe.”

Bitty couldn’t help himself. Jack was genuinely concerned about his well-being. He forced himself not to care. “You see here, Mr. Zimmermann, I have a bakery to run. And no dead bodies are gonna stop me from doing my job.”

“I -” Jack fumbled for a minute. “I just want you to be safe.”

“Tell you what. If a serial killer shows up in my store asking for coffee and scones, I’ll let you know.” Bitty patted Jack on the arm and walked the last block to his bakery.

This was going to be even more difficult than before with a hunter hanging around and now personally invested in his safety.

* * *

Jack went over the photos of the crime scenes for the 36th time. It was unusual that a nest would move in and be so overt for no reason. He supposed they could just be particularly brutal, but vampires tended to follow certain rules. And the only times this level of depravity was displayed was when a new nest wanted to send a challenge to the nest currently inhabiting the area. But, all of his research showed that Little Compton had been completely quiet for five years. Nothing remotely vampiric was going on. Sure, there had been an odd death here and there, but nothing with blood loss, and nothing truly out of the ordinary.

He pulled the last unusual case and re-examined it. It had gone cold and was officially closed. Normally, he would say that the scene in the alleyway was left behind by a hunter that didn’t care to clean up for themselves. A mutilated body lay partially beneath a dumpster, it’s leg sticking out. There were gouges and scratches along the brick walls. The blood splatter mostly belonged to the body. But there were several sprays further down the alleyway that suggested a fight that moved away from the initial crime scene. There were plenty of claw marks on the bricks. The splatter suggested that it had been quite the battle. But it lacked the pocking that bullets would leave. And the report was completely devoid of any details about gunshots or bullet casings.

No hunter would be crazy enough to go toe to toe with a vampire. Well, not unless they had been disarmed early and had to go with what they had at hand. The scuffle had upturned trash cans and left garbage littered along the ground. Truthfully, it looked more like two vampires decided to have it out and one became dust. The dust pile was barely noticeable in one of the photos. The ash was damp and some had shifted from where it had initially fallen. The police officers likely assumed it was collected cigarette ash from the trash bags that had been split open. If it was a hunter, they didn’t take them out in a conventional manner. And if it was a vampire, it didn’t seem like they had hung around Little Compton. So, why was this nest behaving like there was one here?

That left him with the weird feeling in his gut about Bittleman. He showed up around the same time as this last cold case. The bakery opened three months later. Bittleman was cute, charming, and very clearly a transplant from the South. Which made him think that the vampire hunter thing wasn’t too far off.

There was a prominent hunting family in Georgia named Bittle. Nearly seven years ago, their son was sent out on a hunting mission. Solo. The solo hunt initiation wasn’t something that was practiced by the Zimmermanns, but it was common enough in the more well-known families. It was assumed that the young man had met his end at the hand of a nest of vampires that was significantly larger than what scouting had suggested. If this was Eric Bittle, then the crime scene might make sense. Someone who is rusty in hunting, comes across a vampire having a late night meal, decides to use his knowledge to take it down, and it turns into more of a tussel than he was planning on. What it doesn’t explain is why he vanished off the face of the Earth, why he was in Little Compton, and if it was him, how was he still alive?

* * *

Officially, it was Bitty’s day off. This time, instead of tending to his usual needs, he was spending it like he had the last four weeks, hunting for the nest of interlopers. Unlike the last four weeks, he was also trying to avoid the insanely attractive hunter that was tromping all over his town.

He had a nagging feeling that they were somewhere near Quicksand Pond. It was considered a nature preserve and highly protected. It wasn’t easy to get out that way considering that much of the pond was undeveloped and wildlife preserves of varying severity. The areas that were developed were all private residences with rather stiff security systems. But, he needed to get this nest cleaned out before the hunter decided to make Little Compton his next permanent base of operations.

He had a kit with him, just in case he actually did need to stake someone tonight. As he wandered through the brackish reeds, trying not to make too much noise, he saw a light flicker up ahead. Bitty stilled and crouched in the long grass. He tried to get a good look at the figure, but could only guess an approximate size, probably male. He pulled his flashlight out, just in case, but kept it turned off. He tried to catch a scent, but the wind was going the wrong direction. Keeping low, he made his way closer. He used every bit of vampiric agility to prevent from stepping on anything that would make a sound.

The light swiveled in his direction, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from cursing. He stilled. The light moved on and the figure continued moving away from him. Bitty stayed where he was for a few minutes, then chose a different route. Anyone walking around with a flashlight was not a vampire.

Bitty had just gotten to the area locally known as The Gut, when he smelled it, the distinct aroma of a rotting corpse. The nest was around here somewhere. He tried to hone in on that smell to follow where it was coming from when a soft voice came from behind him, “Unusual place to find a baker at 3am.”

Bitty nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around and wielded his flashlight like a baton. Before he could identify the person speaking to him, he swung the handle across their face. He heard a grunt and the scent of human blood flooded his nose.

“ _Merde_!”

“Oh my goodness! I am so sorry!” Bitty covered his mouth with his free hand, out of both shock and because his fangs decided to make an appearance at the scent of fresh human blood.

“Well, I guess that confirms my suspicions.”

Bitty took a step back from the man who he could now identify as Jack Zimmermann. “What suspicions?” He kept his hand over his mouth and spoke as clearly as he could.

“That you are the missing Bittle from Georgia. How did you end up in Rhode Island?”

Bitty groaned and ducked his head to fidget with his backpack and tried to force his fangs back. “Great. Just what I needed. Let’s get you back to your hotel. It won’t do for you to be bleeding all over the place where any vampire can smell you.”

The two walked back to Jack’s Land Rover in relative silence. Jack unlocked it with the key fob and slid behind the wheel. He rolled down the window and offered, “I can drop you off at your car, if you’d like?”

“That’s not necessary.”

“It’s really no trouble.”

“I didn’t bring one. I know the area pretty well and I didn’t want to trip any motion sensors that the mansions on the other side of the pond have all over their property.”

Jack gave him a strange look. “If you are hunting vampires, why did you vanish?”

Bitty tried to stay just out of range of the dim glow from the interior light. “Because I didn’t want to be a hunter. I couldn’t be myself in Georgia. And I would never have had my bakery if I had stayed. So, I left. And I eventually landed here. Then, one night, I ran into a vampire in an alley. He had already killed some poor old transient. I think his name was Tom. He frequently ended up on the street. The people around here knew about him and would try to help, but he would wander off for awhile and eventually he would always turn back up. Anyways, he was already dead. I wasn’t expecting to run into a vampire. Goodness knows why I thought Little Compton was exempt -”

“I looked through the files. It wasn’t obvious unless you were looking for it. The vampire kept its kills infrequent and they must have been disposing of the bodies in such a way that they weren’t easily discovered.” Jack paused and gave Bitty a no nonsense look. “Come on. Get in the car. I’ll drop you off at your place -” Jack blushed and realized what he said could be taken as, “or, at the bakery. Either one. Whichever is best.”

Bitty stared at the blushing face. It didn’t help his thirst, particularly after going a couple of days without feeding on human blood. But, he couldn’t deny the invitation. Wandering through a vampire infested marsh alone at night was not something any sane person would do. “Fine. My place is closer.” He wandered around the front of the car and finally managed to force his fangs to recede. It would be a long five minute drive.

Jack smiled as Bitty slid into the passenger seat. He turned the overhead light off and put the car in drive. “So, did you know who I was the moment I stepped into your bakery?”

Bitty carefully kept his face tilted against the window to reduce the smell of blood coming from Jack’s face. “I was pretty certain. When more law enforcement didn’t show up the next day, I knew.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I told you. I don’t want to go back to my family. I don’t want what life that would get me.” Bitty kept the thought to himself that the life he would lead back home would be extremely short. He’d be lucky to get a stake to the heart.

The traditional way of dealing with hunters that turned into vampires and didn’t turn themselves in was to tie them up in silver to a post outside and let them burn in the sun. It was an ugly way to go. The sun didn’t quickly kill a vampire. It ate through the layers bit by bit. The younger the vampire, the longer it took. With only seven years as a member of the undead, it would easily take hours. He remembered when a distant cousin had gotten turned and run away. He didn’t make it very far. He’d only managed a week before the family found him and dragged him back. He didn’t die that first day on the post. When night fell, he slowly started to heal back up and the torture began again on the second day. Bitty had wanted to go out there and drive a stake through his heart just to end his suffering.

Jack turned onto the main road, “You’re going to have to give me directions from here.”

Bitty sighed and pointed out the turns until they pulled up in front of his house. He had been starting to think that maybe he could talk the landlord into selling it to him. Maybe take a bit off the top since he’d been living there for so long and had never been late on a payment. That was looking less and less like an option, now. He opened the door and popped out. He tossed a “Thanks,” over his shoulder and unlocked his front door. Maybe it was stupid to show the hunter where he lived. But, it wasn’t like he couldn’t find it if he just asked. It was a matter of public record.

Bitty glanced around his darkened living room and turned on the lights, more for effect than anything and made his way to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and grimaced at his options.

* * *

Bitty hated pig’s blood. He swore he could taste the grease. He took a long look at himself in the mirror. He was getting waxy and his cheeks had a grey tint to them. He needed to figure out how he was going to slip away to Providence without getting noticed. He had hoped that if he took his one night off a week and found the nest, that he could solve all of his problems at one time. But that wasn’t going to happen.

He grabbed his phone and found Dunia’s number. “Hey, hon. I hate to ask, but would it be possible for you to cover my shift tonight? I know it’s super late notice, but something’s come up that I need to take care of right away.”

A soft and concerned voice asked, “Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine. I just have a problem that requires me to go to Providence. If you can’t cover, that’s fine, too. I can tell Stephanie and Jorge to put up the closed sign, instead.”

“No. I can manage tonight. I didn’t have anything planned. Do you need me to bake anything other than the usual?”

“Dunia, you are a literal life saver.” Bitty just wasn’t going to mention the who or the how of the life saving. “The standard set for tomorrow morning would be great. Feel free to get creative if you get bored. And make sure to mark down on your timecard that you get emergency pay for this.”

* * *

At one point in time, Bitty would have sworn until he was blue in the face that he would never take someone into the bathroom of a gay bar to do _anything_. That was not the reality of his life anymore. To be fair, he didn’t ever take someone to the bathroom to have sex with them, not that they realized what he was really getting from them.

Bitty pulled up Mike? Mark? - whomever’s pants, tucked his shirt in, and kissed him on the cheek with a, “Thank you, sugar.”

That was the fourth vein he had tapped for the night and he was feeling pleasantly warm. Bitty took a second to stare directly into the other man’s eyes and focused, “Why don’t you go get yourself some orange juice from the bar? And don’t you go worrying your pretty little head about figuring out who I am. As long as we all had a good time, it’s nothing to fret about.”

Bitty watched as he smiled and sauntered away to the bar, blissfully ignorant that he had just had an extremely close encounter with a vampire. Bitty sighed and glanced in the mirror above the sink. He tossed some water on his face and made sure that he hadn’t gotten any blood on his shirt. Satisfied with his now rosy cheeks, he felt a hum of energy beneath his skin. He grinned at his reflection, dancing it was, then.

Lights flashed and bodies blurred. Now that he could focus more on his surroundings than the pounding in his head from the pervasive hunger, Bitty could swear that he could feel the life force of the club. Every person here was thrumming with it. It was intoxicating. Being surrounded and pressed up against was thrilling and making every last one of his senses sing.

Two strong arms wrapped around him from behind. Bitty pressed his ass backwards into the front of the guy’s crotch. He could feel the heat emanating from the man behind him and it was doing all of the right things to him. He let his head tilt back and found a set of strong, broad shoulders. Yeah, this was good.

“It’s a little crowded in here. Want to get some fresh air?”

Bitty nodded. He really didn’t care who it was that was behind him.

By the time they got out of the club, Bitty was ready for anything - and fantasizing about dessert.

“My car is parked on the street.”

Now, if Bitty had still been human, this would have rung all of his alarm bells. As it was, it just rang his munchies bell. “Well, that’s nice and convenient -”

* * *

Bitty yawned and stretched. He felt great. He blinked and looked at the clock beside the bed. Something was off. That wasn’t his clock. And the dot was next to AM. Bitty jerked upright. It was just after 5:30am. The sun would be rising in minutes and he was on the opposite side of town from his place.

“Everything okay?” a sleep-gruff voice came from the other side of the bed.

Oh, Lord. He went to bed with a hunter. How much of a death wish did he have?

Jack’s brow furrowed in concern when Bitty backed away from him and scrambled out of bed. “Bitty?” he asked as he reached for the curtains.

“No! Don’t!”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Jack -” Bitty pressed himself into the corner furthest from the window.

Jack cautiously got out of bed and stepped closer to the curtains.

“Jack, please -”

“Bitty, if I open this curtain, what is going to happen?” Jack’s voice is flat and knowing. “You didn’t just leave your family because you are gay, did you?”

Bitty pressed his back hard against the wall and ducked his head to hide the tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes. “No. I went out on that stupid hunt. It was supposed to be easy. They said they pre-scouted it. But it was my uncle and cousin who did the scouting, the ones that always had issues with how I preferred to bake rather than fight. They said there were only two vampires, perfect for a trial. It wasn’t. It was a whole nest. I broke in the entrance they had detailed and snuck through the building to the back room where they were supposed to be resting. There were at least ten just in there. When I turned around to get out, the hallway was blocked by four more. There was no way out. They knew who I was related to and they turned me to punish me and my family. They kept laughing and laughing. They called me Itty Bitty Bittle. I escaped the next night and grabbed a bus ticket for the soonest departing bus. I couldn’t go home. So, I kept running. I ran for two years, when I saw that creep killing Tom. I figured no one would look for me here. No one had come to Little Compton to kill that other vampire. And I had learned how to be discreet and take enough to be full and not hurt anyone. Then, these assholes show up out of nowhere and decide to be stereotypical territorial monsters and draw attention. I was fine. I have my bakery. People like me. I had a _life_.”

Bitty waits for the curtains to open, or for Jack to pull out a stake and finish him right there.

Jack sighs and walks around the bed. When he reaches out to touch Bitty’s arm, he flinches, hard. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Bitty sniffles. “For now, maybe. I know what would happen to you if you let me live. Or worse, if it ever got out that you slept with me.”

Jack stepped back and sat on the edge of the bed that Bitty had just clambered out of. “I guess we’ll need to cross that bridge when we get to it.” He paused and tried to catch Bitty’s eyes. “I need to know. Why did you come back with me last night?”

Bitty snorted and chuckled self-deprecatingly. “Because you are the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. You’re sweet, and funny. A bit of a dork going on about the most ridiculous things. And I may have been feeling a bit brave coming out of that club. I always feel like the world is a bit brighter and have a strange sense of invincibility after I’ve eaten. And there you were in all your - your _you-ness_ \- and you were so concerned for me being out by myself at night in Providence. And I had been trying so hard to be reasonable and not get a crush on the one person in a 20 mile radius that would know how to kill me. But, here I am, bad decisions and all.”

“So you were at that club to feed?”

“Of course I was. I’ve had to get creative with you in town. I usually just pick up from the local bar. I’m careful and don’t take too much. And I wipe their memory afterwards. But, I didn’t want to risk it with a hunter coming into my bakery every night. I’ve been living off pig’s blood from the butcher shop. It’s completely foul. But, that can’t sustain me. I was getting to be a bit of a mess. It’s why I asked Dunia to cover last night. I figured if I went to Providence, I would be okay. Guess not.”

Jack glanced at the clock and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “It’s 5:43.”

Bitty panicked. He was trapped in the hunter’s hotel room until the sun set, assuming he was even allowed to stay. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t plan to fall asleep. I swear! Just, please - please don’t make me go out in the sun -”

“I’m not going to put you out in the sun. I told you I wasn’t going to hurt you. You can stay here for the day. I’ll figure out how to uninvite you when the sun sets.”

Bitty tightened his arms around himself. Somehow, that statement felt worse. “I - okay.”

Jack stood and shook his head. “I’m going to take a shower. You should probably get back to bed. I’ll head out and scope out the area around Quicksand Pond you had a hunch about. We can talk about what I find when I get back.”

Bitty nodded and waited until the bathroom door closed. He forced back the tears and crawled back into bed. Jack was right, he could feel the sun rising and pulling all of his strength from him. The longer he fought it, the harder it would be to stay awake. He had to trust that Jack would keep his promise.

By the time Jack was done with his shower, Bitty was fast asleep, covers pulled tightly around his face with only the slightest hint of cowlick sticking out.

 

* * *

Jack was back before sunset. He paced outside of his room for several minutes. To some extent, he hoped that Bitty wasn’t there. If he wasn’t there, then the whole nightmare of him falling for a vampire wasn’t true. But even after spending the entire day hunting the nest holed up in Quicksand Pond, he couldn’t banish the feelings he had developed for the cute, blonde baker. And that was the problem. He couldn’t think of Bitty as a vampire. His first impression was as a warm and caring person. It would make killing him at the end of his stay so much harder. He didn’t want to do it. He didn’t want to face that reality.

Worst of all was that the sooner they cleared the nest, the sooner he would have to finish the job. But, if he took too long, his family was sure to come down and that would make it even worse for Bitty. And for him. Bitty wasn’t wrong in his assessment of what could happen if people found out. He was sure that his Papa wouldn’t be too harsh with him. But, Bitty? If he was lucky, he’d be killed quickly. If not, they would put him in a darkened van and ship him back to his family for them to deal with. He couldn’t bear to think of Bitty tied to a stake and burning in the sun. It was a gruesome and cruel death. Particularly for someone so kind. He ran his hand through his hair and forced himself to enter his hotel room.

He sat down in the chair by the tiny table and watched Bitty sleep. For a minute, he felt flattered. If Bitty felt threatened by his presence, he would have woken no matter how much daylight was left. Or, it could be that he was so resigned to his fate that he didn’t even bother to wake when a hunter was present.

Almost like clockwork, the moment the sun set, Bitty’s eyes opened. He could see the moment Bitty realized that he was being watched. His eyes shuttered and he pulled back ever-so-slightly beneath the covers.

“I think I found the entrance to the nest.”

Bitty quietly sighed and got out of bed. Cautiously, he sat in the chair across from Jack. “Are you sure?”

“Fairly positive. There were streaks of blood going to it. Seems like it’s some sort of cave entrance.”

“Any idea how many are in there?”

“No. But it looks like they don’t care if they are found. So, unless they are insane, I’d guess it’s a fairly large nest.”

Bitty bit his lip. “We won’t be able to take them out by ourselves.”

“What are you saying?”

“If it’s a large nest and they are as violent as they seem to be indicating, then two of us won’t be enough to take them out. I can’t help during the day, and you’ll be stranded inside a cave with who knows how many vampires trying to dismember you.” Bitty refused to look in Jack’s direction. “You need to call your family.”

“If I call them -”

“I know. I’ve been living on borrowed time, anyway. I’ll make sure my Will is in the bakery’s safe. And I’ll get the paperwork in order for change of ownership. Can you make sure that Dunia doesn’t get blamed for anything? I don’t want anyone thinking she had any motive for my disappearance.”

“Bitty - maybe there’s a way. I mean, I don’t have to tell them about you. You can go back to pretending that you know nothing about any of this. Just run your bakery. I don’t know if I could stand it if I knew that I was the cause of your death.”

“Technically, I’m already dead. Actually, I’m sure that I’m already legally dead, too.”

“You don’t deserve this.”

“You don’t know that Jack. I’m not innocent. I’ve killed people. Just like any of them. I didn’t always know how to stop. Or when. I didn’t always know how to wipe people’s minds.”

Jack stared at Bitty’s profile as he spoke. When he fell silent, Jack reached out and pulled one of Bitty’s hands into his. “But you learned. You actually _tried_. That makes all the difference. You aren’t the same as those monsters in that cave. You haven’t hurt a single person in Little Compton in all the years that you’ve lived here. I don’t see why I should turn you in for helping me do my job.”

Bitty couldn’t take his eyes off of their joined hands. He had missed being truly close to people. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had been so gentle with him. “Don’t do this. I can’t take it.”

“Don’t do what?”

“Don’t promise me something I know you can’t give. Don’t give me false hope. I know what it means to be a hunter. I know what it means to belong to a hunting family.”

“I’m not. We’ll just pretend that you’re a local contact. Which is what you are.”

Bitty sniffled. “You should get on with uninviting me. Even I know how stupid last night was. For both of us. If you really want to let me go and not have me involved in the hunt, then that’s what I’ll do. But Jack, if it all goes south, which I know it will, I won’t blame you for anything that happens to me. You’ve been -” Bitty swallowed hard, “you’ve been more than kind.”

Jack sighed. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed in himself or the entire situation.

* * *

The hunters rolled into town the next night. Bitty knew he had to keep his head down. He was just a local contact. Nothing special to see here. Ten o’clock came around and the bell above the door rang.

“It is nice here! Jack, you been holding out on us. Keep adorable little bakery all to yourself.”

“Tater, it’s the only place open 24 hours.”

“Is no way to speak of beautiful desserts available for eating.”

Bitty took in a deep breath and steadied his nerves. Local contact. He could do this. “How can I help y’all?”

A man even larger than Jack with brown hair and soft brown eyes had his face pressed against the glass of his display case.

“You are owner? Jack says best place for midnight snack in whole town.”

“Well that’s very nice of him.” Bitty took the chance to glance at the assorted people in his bakery. One was definitely the infamous Bad Bob Zimmermann. “If y’all would like, I can put some coffee on? It’ll be just a few minutes.”

Jack shoved his way to the front of the group, “That’d be great. Thanks, Bitty.”

Bitty nodded and watched out of the corner of his eye as the hunters situated themselves at several tables. Maybe the team would be enough to take out the nest without him having to interfere. He kept alert, eavesdropping on the conversation going on in the dining room. They kept their voices low, but they were still clear as a bell to him. Nothing dramatic, just general tactics, a couple of questions to Jack about the area they would be hunting in.

Bitty made sure to announce his presence as he came from the kitchen with a tray loaded down with coffee cups and creamers. “Now, I don’t expect y’all to be getting much sleep if you drink this much coffee. But, I promised Jack that I would make sure y’all were taken care of. And I take my promises very seriously.”

Bitty could feel Bob Zimmermann stare at him. He tried not to fidget under the man’s penetrating look, but he knew he wasn’t doing a great job of it. He smiled, and he could swear that Bad Bob had seen something he didn’t like from the way his gaze shifted to his mouth. Yeah, he was going to go back to the safety of his kitchen. “Well, y’all holler if you need anything! I’m just in the back prepping the dough.”

If he could, he would be sweating up a storm. That was more scrutiny than he was prepared for. He tried to block out the conversation enough to calm down, but while he was hyper-vigilant, it was impossible to get his senses to back off. Everything in his brain was telling him that he was in danger. And he couldn’t even logic his way out of his instinct. He was in danger. Even if the hunters weren’t aware of what he was, yet.

So, with his attention solidly divided between rolling out dough balls for the morning pies and the hunters in the dining room, he couldn’t help but overhear Bob whispering to Jack. “He’s an - interesting - choice in contact. What exactly did he help you with?”

“Local geography. He was the one that pointed out the protected wetlands. One side is bracketed by mansions with pretty significant security. The other side is impassable by vehicle. You have to leave your car and go by foot. It’s the perfect place to hide. And, he owns 24 hour bakery.”

“Uh huh. He’s also cute.”

“Papa.”

“Just saying, Jack. You have a type. And he pretty much hits all of it, doesn’t he?”

Jack sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Once we take care of the nest, we’ll be gone and off to the next hunt.”

Bitty felt his muscles loosen. Bob Zimmermann just thought he was a cute love interest. He could work with that. He pulled out a couple of eggs and three slices of bacon and set them on the grill. Within a couple of minutes, he had it plated and set an apple strudel muffin on the side. He put his best flirtatious face on and took the meal into the dining room.

“Your usual?” He grinned as he slid it in front of Jack, then winked just enough for the rest of the table to notice. Bitty dawdled just long enough then addressed the rest of the hunters. “Anything I can get y’all?”

“You have blueberry?”

“I have lots of blueberry. What are ya lookin’ for? Scones, muffins, pie -”

“Pie! Blueberry pie is favorite.”

Jack sighed, but had a fond look on his face. “Tater, you can’t just eat pie. You need something more substantial than that.”

“Fine. Then I have what Jack is having, but with pie instead of muffin.”

Bitty pulled out his notepad and started taking orders. “Alright, hon, you got it. 3 eggs sunny-side up, 3 pieces of bacon, and a slice of blueberry pie.” The orders came fast and furious at that point. Bitty didn’t miss the nudge Bob gave Jack. He also didn’t miss the blush on Jack’s face when Bob whispered something in French to him.

* * *

Bitty was just about to hand the keys over to Dunia for the morning shift when the hunters staggered in looking worse for wear. He took a glance at the clock and did a quick mental calculation. He could stay for 15 minutes more, but that was all he had if he wanted to get home before dawn.

He smiled at the bedraggled hunters and grabbed a couple carafes of coffee from the back and set them down at each table. “I’ll get your orders started, but Dunia will take over for me once y’all are situated.”

A tall, dark-skinned woman whose hair was mussed out of its previously well-crafted bun gave a tired groan. “I’ll tip you extra if you stay and keep the coffee coming.”

Bitty smiled and tried to seem sympathetic. “I would if I could. But, Dunia’s shift is starting. I’d be really grateful if you would give her the tip instead. I’m leaving you in good hands.” He shared a long look with Jack before he hustled into the back to start getting their orders together.

Jack poked his head through the double swinging doors that lead to the kitchen. “You don’t have to stay. I know it’s late.”

Bitty kept his face forward and refused to look up from the stove. “It’ll look odd if I just leave. It would be out of character.”

“Okay. Just - please get home safe.” Jack dithered in the doorway a few seconds more. “Maybe I should drive you home?”

“Mercy sakes.” Bitty flipped the pancakes and set them to the side to get the eggs started. “You’ll be the death of me, but yes. I would like that.”

Jack nodded and slipped back out into the dining room, casually announcing to the group that he’d be making sure that Bitty got home safe and sound. Tater and several others responded with wolf whistles. Bitty wished he could find more humor in it.

Dunia filled the coffee carafes and pulled out cup sets. “Go on. I’ve got this.”

Bitty smiled and gave her a pat on the shoulder as he left. “Thanks, hon.”

Jack pulled his car to the storefront and gave Bitty the smallest upturn of his lips he could manage when Bitty hopped into the front passenger seat. The ride itself was quiet. Bitty could sense the sun starting to creep towards the horizon and was thankful that Jack had offered to take him home. He pulled into the empty driveway and fumbled with what he wanted to say. Goodnight? Good morning? It shouldn’t be so complicated.

“Jack, you look tired. Are you sure you want to drive back to the hotel?”

“Are you inviting a hunter into your house?”

“No more ridiculous than inviting a vampire into your bed.”

“To be fair, I didn’t know you were a vampire until after. And you were too cute to toss out into the sun.”

Bitty scoffed. “Well, I’m glad I was too attractive to your post-coital brain to roast.” He paused and focused on Jack’s face. “I trust you. Lord knows why. And this is one of the stupidest things I could do. But, I’d like it if you’d stay. And maybe explain why such an infamous hunting family decided to go wandering near a vampire nest at night instead of during the daylight like any sane person would. Word of warning, I don’t have any food in the house.”

Jack chuckled. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

They didn’t make it much farther than the doorway before Jack found Bitty’s lips on his. He groaned and wrapped his hands around Bitty’s ass, hoisting him up so that his legs could wrap around his waist. “Bedroom?”

Bitty waved his hand in the general direction of the hallway.

Jack made sure to keep one hand on Bitty’s rear while he opened the bedroom door with the other. He was fairly certain Bitty could easily stay put on his own, but Jack didn’t want to let go of the delightfully round and tight ass. With a quick glance around the room, he realized that he couldn’t see much, just the vague outline of a bed and the nightstand. “Can I get the light? It’s too dark for me.”

Bitty licked his jawline and up to his ear, gently pulling his earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it. “Sure. Just so long as you use the light switch. The curtains are sewn shut.”

“Probably a good idea.” Jack flipped the switch near the door and got enough of his bearings to set Bitty down in the middle of the bed. He gazed down at the man below him and _wanted_. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side, not caring where it landed.

Bitty sat up and latched his mouth to an exposed nipple and wrapped his arms around Jack’s back.

Jack moaned as Bitty tugged on it with his teeth. He couldn’t help but feel a thrill go straight to his dick as he remembered how dangerous Bitty’s teeth could be. He hadn’t even seen them yet and they were already on the forefront of his mind.

Bitty’s clever fingers slipped down and gripped his ass, encouraging Jack to press his dick forward. He whimpered when his cock pressed against the rough material of his jeans and was trapped by the belt holding his pants up.

“Shhh, I’ve got you.” Bitty let go of his rear and flicked his belt open and popped the button on his jeans.

Jack didn’t even realize Bitty had pulled his pants down until he felt a warm mouth around his dick. He gazed down and could only see the top of Bitty’s blonde hair. Gently, he carded his fingers through the light stands and tried to encourage Bitty to look up at him. “Let me see you. Please.”

Bitty pulled off and resolutely kept his head down. “Jack -”

“I know what you are. It’s okay.”

Bitty nuzzled into the crease where his thigh met his crotch and hummed. “It’s so hard to keep myself under control. All I want to do is taste you.”

“So taste me. I trust you.”

Bitty did look up at that. His pupils were blown wide, but instead of his normally brown irises, they were bright red. His skin was an even starker white than his typical tone. “Are you sure?” As he spoke, two fangs grew in and protruded down causing his upper lip to jut out slightly around them. The tips were visible when he spoke and Jack’s dick twitched at the sight.

“So sure.” Jack let his hand drop to the side of Bitty’s face and stroked his cheekbone with his thumb.

Bitty didn’t need any more encouragement and placed his hands between Jack’s thighs and spread them apart enough to have a good angle on the great saphenous vein. He trailed licks up Jack’s inner thigh and gently nipped at the delicate skin at the base of his balls. He smirked when Jack’s breath hitched and his fingers went to the back of Bitty’s head silently encouraging him to get on with it.

Bitty waited until he could smell the pheromones pumping through the vein at an intoxicating level, then bit soundly into the sensitive skin of Jack’s inner thigh. Jack’s hand wrapped around the back of his head and pressed him deeper, encouraging Bitty to drink his fill.

The taste was delightful. It was better than anything Bitty could have imagined. Fresh, clean, completely unmarred by alcohol. Far too soon for his liking, he pulled back and lapped at the wound, encouraging it to heal. A small piece of him wanted to leave it slightly open, enough to ensure that Jack would have a permanent mark on his thigh. He forced himself to continue and stared up at Jack, eyes brighter than before and a high blush on his cheeks.

“Fuck. That’s so hot, Bits.”

“Yeah? Who knew the big, bad hunter had a thing for fangs.”

Jack bent down and captured Bitty’s lips with his own. He could taste his own blood on Bitty’s mouth and licked at his lips, begging entrance. “I only have a thing for yours.”

Bitty wrapped his arms around Jack’s neck and let himself be dragged back up the bed. Somewhere along the way, he lost his own shirt and pants as Jack rutted against him.

“Bitty. Can I -” Jack let his fingers do the rest of the communicating when they stroked along the rim of Bitty’s hole.

“Fuck. Yes, sugar. There’s lube in the drawer.”

“Condom?”

“Oh, honey. I haven’t used one of those in seven years. Can’t exactly catch anything or give anyone anything besides vampirism. And that’s not sexually transmitted.”

“The clean up?”

“Maybe I want you to come in me.”

Jack whined high in his throat at the thought and had to turn away from Bitty so that he could find the lube. He made quick work of fingering Bitty open and delighted when he crooked his fingers _just so_ and Bitty arched off the bed, red eyes wide and fangs glinting when he let out a yell.

Jack stretched forward and captured that dangerous mouth with his own. His tongue grazed the sharp incisors and he couldn’t wait any longer. He removed his fingers from Bitty’s hole and lined his cock up. With one long push he slid home. It was entirely too erotic watching such a powerful person come completely undone beneath him. It was rare that he was ever with someone stronger than him, but knowing that Bitty could easily take control and _didn’t_ was intoxicating. The trust Bitty placed in him and let himself be vulnerable beneath Jack was more to him than the glorious tightness that clenched around his cock.

“Fuck. You’re amazing.”

“Jack - Jack - move! For fuck’s sake don’t just stop after you finally get in me.”

Jack smirked and slowly drew out, deliberately dragging out the process. He stared directly into those annoyed red eyes, “You’re beautiful,” then pushed back in hard.

If Bitty had needed the air in his lungs, he would have been in trouble. The deep thrusts punched the air right out of him. Jack drilled him like he meant to reach his brain with his dick. But through it all, he never took his eyes away from Bitty’s.

“Bite me.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to come in you with your teeth in my neck.”

Bitty leaned up and bit deeply into the side of Jack’s neck, blood flowing once again in that intoxicating mixture. Jack wrapped a hand around his cock and gave it a couple of strokes, rubbing his precum down his shaft. It was all too much and Bitty came, spilling over Jack’s hand, teeth buried in his thick neck.

Jack yelled and curled around Bitty as he came moments later. He tried to keep his neck still so that Bitty could take his fill. He felt lighter than air. Bitty licked his neck just before he passed out from the intensity of his orgasm and slight blood loss.

“I’ll get us some towels to clean up with. Then, I’m gonna have to pass out. The sun’s over the horizon and I’m barely hanging on.”

Jack felt a warm cloth rub his stomach and dick clean. Moments later, the light was flicked off and he was joined in bed by a very warm and sated vampire. He couldn’t remember ever being so content.

* * *

Bob knew something was off with Bitty. He had that prickling feeling on the back of his neck he got whenever something just wasn’t right. And every time he entered the little bakery, he got that feeling. He went ahead and did his own research on the history of Little Compton. And he had a sneaking suspicion that Bitty was much more than what he pretended to be. He also had the feeling that Jack was aware of what was going on, if his concerned glances at Bitty were anything to go by. But, Bob wasn’t one to jump to conclusions unnecessarily.

They were supposed to be leaving today. The nest was cleared out and everything in their hideout was burnt to ash. The team had gone back the following afternoon and made sure to catch the rest of the nest asleep. It was a standard burn and leave. They were the worst type of vampire, brutish, wild, and completely lost to their thirst. Little Compton could rest easy now that they were cleared out. He just wasn’t sure just how safe everyone was if he was right about the small, blonde baker.

He wandered down the hotel’s hallway and knocked on Jack’s door. The obligatory time passed for Jack to check the peephole and confirm his identity and the door opened.

“Papa?”

“I have something I need to run by you.”

“Of course.” Jack stood silently to the side, allowing him to enter, but keeping a well-practiced limit on his invitation to his room.

Bob sat down in the chair and waited for Jack to close the door behind him. “How well do you know our little local contact?”

If he hadn’t been paying close attention, he might have missed the brief flare of panic in Jack’s eyes. But, he knew all of his son’s tells.

“I met him on my first night here.”

“Mmhmm. And?”

“And he was just as polite and welcoming as you’ve seen. I asked him if he had seen anyone new in town, but he hadn’t. I told you. He’s been rather helpful in pinpointing untravelled areas of town.”

“Right. And his mysterious arrival 5 years ago?”

“He left home because they didn’t care for him being gay.”

Bob frowned. It wouldn’t surprise him if that was the case. It was actually extremely likely from everything he had looked up about the Bittle family in Georgia. If he chose to run away, using the solo hunt as cover would be the best time to do it. It would also explain why he was willing to help but hesitant to seem too eager. If he was found out to be alive, then he would be disgraced and disowned from the family. It would also go out to all the hunting families who he was and to refuse him any assistance. But, something still didn’t sit right in his gut.

“Okay. I can see that you like him and that you have decided he’s worth your protection. I don’t know why you think you have to protect him from me, but if it’s what I think it is, you need to think long and hard about some things.”

Jack got that stubborn look on his face that meant he was digging in to his convictions. “There’s nothing else going on. He is a good person with a family that doesn’t care for him.”

“I don’t doubt that. And I appreciate that you are trying not to lie to me. But, I have been in this business my whole life, just like you. And I’d be remiss if I couldn’t pick up on certain ways vampires move. They do a damned fine job blending in if you don’t know what to look for. But, there are microscopic tells that they can never hope to conceal. It’s in the way he balances a tray, how he maneuvers around tables, the sharpness in his smile that never quite goes away.”

Bob knew he had Jack cornered. Jack’s brow was pinched and his lips pursed, trying to hold back rebuttals that would just make the situation worse.

“In the 5 years he’s been here, no one has died. He’s got that going for him. But, Jack, those are the most dangerous ones. You know this. They are the ones that live a very long time. They are the ones whose lives are seductive. I’m glad he’s not out on a killing spree, but his type is the reason we will never truly be rid of vampires on this planet. If you stay, if you keep up whatever it is you have going on between you two, you will turn. And you will do it willingly.”

Jack pulled in on himself. He couldn’t argue with anything his father said. He couldn’t even say that Bitty wouldn’t agree to turn him if he asked.

“What are you going to do to him?”

Bob sighed. He could honestly say that he didn’t want to turn him over to the Bittles. But, he didn’t know if he could just let the vampire live, either. There were two years unaccounted for. That was probably a very bloody two years of Bitty’s life before he figured out how to control himself. “I don’t know.”

* * *

_**Epilogue - Several Years Later** _

Tater wandered into Bitty’s Bites. It was well past midnight, but he knew that was the best time to chat with his friends. “Hello! It is favorite Russian come looking for blueberry pie!”

Jack popped his head out from the back and grinned. “I’m sure we have some still in the back. Let me get Bits and we’ll get it warmed up for you. Coffee?”

“You know me so well. Lots of sugar!”

Bitty came out from the back carrying two slices of pie and a carafe of coffee. “As if we could forget how you like your coffee.”

Jack set the extra creamer and sugar packets on the table, then took a seat. “How are you doing?”

“Good. Good. Back up in Montreal. Nothing big brewing, just small things.”

Jack threaded his fingers with Bitty’s. Their wedding bands glimmered gold in the artificial light of the bakery.

Tater took a large bite of his pie. “You no miss this? I couldn’t give up pie for anything.”

Jack shrugged and gave Tater a sideways smile. “I don’t know. I think I made a good trade. I miss somethings. But, I’m happy.”

Tater waved his blueberry covered fork in his direction. “Is good. Your Papa is always concerned. Wants you happy. Would give anything for that.”

Jack gave him a soft, but sad smile. “When you see him next, tell him that I am?”

“Hah! You can tell him yourself next week. Is vacation! He wanted to be a surprise, but I told him not so funny showing up on vampires’ doorstep when most scary vampire hunter. He thought would be hilarious. Mrs. Zimmermann told him he was a bigger idiot than ever and he would deserve to get bit if he scared you.”

“Thanks for the warning, Tater.”

Bitty squeezed Jack’s hand and rubbed his thumb over his knuckles. “Why don’t we set up the guest room for him? I know he could just stay in a hotel, but that seems a bit - impersonal - considering he’s family.”

Tater’s eyes widened. “You sure? Bob would love, but is a lot to ask.”

“Of course I’m sure. I’ll just have to put actual food in the fridge before he comes.”

Tater stood abruptly, swiveled around the table, and wrapped his arms around Bitty and Jack. “Thank you, so much! Will be good news to give. May be vampires, but still good people. And best pie.”

Bitty and Jack laughed. Bitty rested his head on Jack’s shoulder and Tater’s pectoral. He may never see his original family again; but he had found a new one, unconventional and weird and perfect.


End file.
